In The News

Austin officials move to decriminalize public drunkenness

Austin American-Statesman | 3/8/2014

An effort by an array of criminal justice, law enforcement and medical officials is underway to open a sobriety center — “drunk tank” to many — that would effectively decriminalize public intoxication, which over the past five years has resulted in about 27,000 arrests in Austin, or about 10 percent of all arrests. As in other criminal cases, those charged with public intoxication are currently taken to jail, fingerprinted, have their mug shots taken and face future court hearings and costs.